The Iowa Transportation Commission passed an emergency rule today dealing with the penalties for illegally passing a stopped school bus.
Governor Terry Branstad signed a bill into law earlier this year known as Kaydn’s law. It was named after 7-year-old Kadyn Halverson of Kensett who was killed on May 10th of 2011 as she attempted to get on a school bus, and increases the penalties for people who pass a stopped school bus.
The rules approved by the Transportation Commission were needed to allow the D.O.T. to start enforcing the new penalties as school gets underway for some districts.
Under the rules, a person’s driver’s license could be suspended for 30 days on the first conviction, 90 days for a second conviction, and 180 days for a third or subsequent conviction. The law also allows for jail time of up to 30 days for the first offense and one year for repeat violators.